


The Black Sisters, A Different Ending

by glitterghosty



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-08-23
Packaged: 2019-07-01 14:23:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,855
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15775896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glitterghosty/pseuds/glitterghosty
Summary: An investigation into the relationships of the Black sisters, and possible redemptive qualities of Bellatrix Lestrange.





	1. Andromeda

Andromeda played the memory again and again. She made Nymphadora put it in their family Pensieve so she could see what had happened for herself. Ted and Nymphadora kept trying to pull her away, but she couldn’t stop replaying Nymphadora’s memory over and over. Her youngest daughter was _gone._ Andromeda took a deep breath and peered into the Pensieve again, letting the memory emerge around her.

 

“CRUCIO!” Bellatrix yelled, firing a spell at Nymphadora. Nymphadora was quick to dodge the spell, firing her own back at her aunt. The scene was a mess—glass was shattered everywhere and members of the Order were all throwing jinxes at different hooded Death Eaters while Harry and Neville seemed to struggle with another Death Eater by some steps. She didn’t realize the Department of Mysteries was this big. _Why did Nova have to join them,_ Andromeda thought. Despite being a year older, Andromeda’s youngest daughter Nova was great friends with Harry Potter. _I just wish it didn’t get her into dangerous situations like this._ Andromeda looked back at the fight between Nymphadora and Bellatrix, cringing when she saw her sister’s sullen face, Bellatrix’s eyes shining giddily at every Unforgivable Curse she threw at Nymphadora. _Azkaban looks to have ruined her._

 

“STUPEFY!” Andromeda heard her youngest daughter scream, sending a jet of red light flying past Bellatrix while she ran to aid Nymphadora.

“NO, NOVA, LEAVE, LEAVE NOV-“ Nymphadora screamed as she jumped to dodge another spell. Andromeda saw her sister’s mouth gape in confusion. _Does Bella even know who Nova is?_ Andromeda wished she could hear the thoughts running through her sister’s head. Nova looked as fierce as Bellatrix did as a teenager, greedy for vengeance and ready for a fight. _They both are ready to die for what they love. Why must they both love so fiercely._

 

“AH-“ Every other time Andromeda had watched this memory play out, she writhed in pain. _Avada Kedavra. She’s saying Avada Kedavra._ The rest of the memory played out: Nymphadora shouting “PROTEGO” just in time to shield Nova, but giving Bellatrix enough time to stun Nymphadora, causing her oldest daughter to fall and the memory to go black. And Nova hadn’t been seen since.

 

Released from the Pensieve, Andromeda felt two hands pull back her shoulders away from the bowl and onto a chair.

“NO MORE, MOM.” Nymphadora yelled at her, tears streaming freely down her face. Ted had one arm wrapped around Nymphadora, and another on Andromeda’s shoulder. Andromeda looked at her sobbing daughter and put a hand to her cheek, wiping away her tears. Worry engulfed the entire Tonks family as they wondered and feared for the livelihood of their littlest one. Ted kept reassuring both Nymphadora and Andromeda that Nova must be alive, that they’d know if she were dead. Andromeda tried hard to believe her husband.

“Nova’s still alive, Nova’s still alive,” Nymphadora sobbed on her mother’s shoulder. Andromeda stroked her daughter’s back. _Please Bella, please don’t kill her._

 

* * *

 

 

Cygnus and Druella were not cut out for parenting. Cygnus was preoccupied with his own career exploits, while Druella was occupied with the gossip of the elite Sacred 28. Thus the parenting of Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa was cast down to house elves and pureblooded Squibs, both of whom detested their work and masters with equal intensity. As such, since she was born, Andromeda remembers being truly taken care of by Bellatrix. Not in a loving way whatsoever, but protected, looked after, taught, and at the very least, cared for. Bellatrix was a talented young witch for her age—and never failed to remind everyone of this—but tutored her younger sisters in charms and taunted their father’s friends with powerful jinxes whenever they came too close with their probing hands. And despite her tough and crisp demeanor, Andromeda knew Bellatrix loved her, even when she refused to say or show it.

 

Each sister took this parental nonchalance differently. Narcissa never grew up—continuing to act childish and insist on being babied by her sisters, the house elves, and Squibs. Andromeda fell in love with everything they hated as a sign of rebellion at first, but then growing into a true love once she met Ted. Bellatrix wanted nothing more than parental approval. All she wanted was for her parents to admit that she was talented, to show her off, to train her to become more powerful. And Andromeda knew just as well as Bellatrix that this was never going to happen.

 

“I thought you took me to shadow the Minister of Magic, not deal me off like some common whore,” Bellatrix shouted angrily at their father one night. Andromeda remembers crawling to the top of the staircase, hidden in the shadows.

“With a tone like that I’d doubt they’ll be after your hand in marriage,” their father said indifferently, not even caring enough to reprimand his daughter’s tone or correct her foul language.

“Did you even care that I can cast a jinx of my own creation nonverbally?”

“You were told to sit and stay quiet.”

“But I wanted to show that I’m more than any other witch-“

“You didn’t do as you were told-“

“Because they’re over 50, ugly, sad old gits and I’m not even of age!” she shouted.

“Legality will come soon enough, now leave, I am off to my study-“

“And you just _let_ them grope me like I was some _toy_ -“

“You’d be so lucky that they’d want to touch you, ungrateful bitch,” their father yelled back, slamming the door in Bellatrix’s face. That was the most emotion their father showed towards any of his daughters in years, causing both Bellatrix and Andromeda to flinch. Andromeda then stuck her head out slightly to get a better glimpse of her sister. Her eyes shined with fresh tears, her brows furrowed in a deep rage. She scooped up her gown and began to walk up the stairs when she noticed Andromeda sitting cross-legged at the top.

“Are you-“ Andromeda began when Bellatrix continued straight past her.

“Shut it,” she said with a huff, slamming her door shut. Dejected, Andromeda went into her room and closed the door as well.

~~

It was nearly dawn when Andromeda woke up nearly screaming with a palm placed firmly over her mouth. Her eyes widened as she saw her sister above her with a huge grin on her face.

“Bella, what the fuck-“ Andromeda hissed.

“Meda, I just had… I just had sex,” Bellatrix giggled.

Andromeda’s eyes widened. She couldn’t tell what was more stunning, that Bellatrix had sex for the first time, or that she _giggled._

“With who? When?”

“Tonight! I waited until everyone was asleep, then went back to Knockturn Alley. This man, oh Meda, he’s older, so intelligent, and so powerful. He thinks I’m _brilliant._ And _cunning._ He bought me a drink and we talked all night… Meda you need to hear his ideas, it’s everything we’ve ever wanted—wizards in power, putting Muggles and mudbloods in their place, and he has a plan to do that too. And-“

“Bella, how much older is he?”

“Oh, I don’t know, forty or something, but it doesn’t matter Meda, he’s not one of father’s creepy old slugs. He’s the real deal. He’s powerful and intelligent and sees potential in me. He says I’m gifted, that I’m beyond my years as a witch, that I have powers no mere wizard could even dream of-it’s everything I’ve been telling you for years! And he sees that in me! And he’s willing to teach me-”

“But Bella… he’s forty and-how did you end up sleeping with him?”

“Oh Meda, don’t be so prude. I met him again tonight because he promised to teach me some curses, and once I showed my prowess, he just… It was like unlike anything, Meda, I mean don’t get me wrong—it hurts, at first, but God, the way he ravaged my entire body, and kept telling me how he needed me, how special I was, and he’s so strong, so powerful-“

“But Bella, earlier tonight you were _so_ upset over father whoring you out-“

“Shut up Meda, that’s different. Father’s friends see nothing special in me besides my pureblood cunt, and that’s all they want. Why would I ever give it to any of them when I could have this man, who tells me he needs me to join his cause, to help eradicate mudbloods and rule over muggles, because I’m strong and able and brilliant and-“

“Bella, he sounds manipulative. What 40-year-old man recruits teenagers and then sleeps with them?”

“I’m no ordinary teenager, that’s the point, I’m special. I can help him, and he sees that.”

 

Andromeda remembers biting her tongue, not ready to tell her sister about her own _new_ ideas on blood purity—rather, how shitty those ideas and preconceived notions were. That she wanted to marry a non-Sacred 28, that she didn’t care about blood purity, that she was slowly falling for a Muggle-born boy in her Charms class… But now was not the time to tell Bellatrix. So Andromeda let her sister sigh happily and slide into her bed, instead of going to her own bed next door. And for the moment, Andromeda was at ease, thinking that no matter how awful her parents were, she had sisters who loved her dearly, and she loved them even more.

 

* * *

 

 

“Nova, wake up! Nymphadora is eating all the pancakes and they’ll be none left for you!” Andromeda yelled, trying to wake her youngest daughter up. She heard quiet thumps down the staircase and out walked the spitting image of her sister Bellatrix at age seventeen. She had thick, black curls, deep dark eyes, and even despite being 6 years younger than Nymphadora, rose just slightly taller than her sister. And she inherited some of Bellatrix’s personality too; a strong conviction in what she believed in, fierce devotion to those she loved, and a smart wit that got her in trouble more often than Andromeda would like to admit. But Andromeda kept Nova’s Bella-like ways to herself, never telling Ted, Nymphadora, and especially Nova just how like Bellatrix she was.

 

“Dora, leave some for me!” Nova cried, running to the table. Ted laughed, saying “Don’t worry, I saved some for you too,” with a wink. She beamed, sticking a huge piece of pancake into her mouth and gobbled it up messily, letting syrup drip down her chin. Nymphadora nudged her, laughing, “God Nova, you don’t have to act like you haven’t eaten in weeks, they’re just pancakes.” Nova finished gulping her food and stuck her tongue out at her sister. Her eyes suddenly widened, prompting her to leap off her chair and run to the parlor.

 

“Dora, I got you a gift,” she said with a mischievous grin, pulling out a green and silver scarf and shoving it in Nymphadora’s lap.

“I said I wanted a scarf and you got me Slytherin colors? Are you serious?”

“Because we’re the best house, obviously,”

“Clearly not, since I was in Hufflepuff, and whatever house _I was in_ is the best.”

“Did you even win a House Cup while at Hogwarts?”

“…No, but from what I’ve been hearing Slytherin keeps falling short to Gryffindor, huh?”

“I at least won ONE year, at least before Harry came.”

“Oh, so you’re blaming Harry now?”

“Our friendship pauses when it comes to the House Cup, though he gives me less hell for it than Fred and George-”

 

Andromeda laughed at her daughters continuing to babble on and for a moment, her tension subsided. She was glad that her daughters got along so well, almost as well as she and her sisters did growing up. She found it ironic how Nymphadora was the affectionate and loving one, constantly doting on Nova, while Nova was the fierce and protective one, standing up for her occasionally-klutzy older sister every time someone bad-mouthed her. Even if that person was Professor Sprout merely explaining why she would not allow Nymphadora to be prefect. Andromeda remembered laughing at the letter she received, learning that her daughter would be serving two months of detention for playing a prank on poor Professor Sprout. _Mum, I want you to know that I am going to be serving two months of detention. But, I believe it is a worthy price to pay. Professor Sprout was ridiculing Dora incessantly—she’s not even at Hogwarts now!—and someone needed to put Sprout in her place. I mean, does she not know that Dora is an Auror now? Does she not know-_ the letter took up three large scrolls. Ted wanted to frame it, proud of his Slytherin’s daughter unwavering loyalty to her sister.

 

But then Andromeda looked down at her lap, seeing the Daily Prophet headline once more, and let the tension and anxiety build up in her again. MASS BREAKOUT FROM AZKABAN, the headline read. Bellatrix was listed among one of those to escape. Andromeda bit her tongue.

 

“Mother, stop thinking of that article!” Nova said, whipping the paper away.

“Yeah, honestly Nova’s right. All of us in the Ministry are all doing our best to find everyone—including Bellatrix,” Nymphadora said comfortingly.

 

Andromeda sighed, knowing her daughters are just trying to cheer her up. Ted placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to get rid of the worries circling her head. She then looked directly at her daughters, sternly saying, “Nymphadora, I don’t want you _anywhere near_ your aunt. She’s a bloodthirsty, wicked woman and won’t even think twice about killing you. And as for you, Nova, no more shenanigans with Harry. I know you want to help, but I want you both safe, and those Death Eaters—your aunt—will kill you the first chance they get. Do you girls understand?”

 

Nymphadora was about to speak up in protest when Nova nudged her in the ribs while nodding. “We understand mum,” she said sweetly then left to the parlor, motioning for Nymphadora to join her. Andromeda rolled her eyes, knowing they would disregard what she said in under a minute. “I mean it, both of you,” she yelled back, hearing “Yes ma’ams,” and “of course”’s in response. She leaned her head onto her husband’s chest and he bent down to kiss the top of her head. “They’re smart girls. They can look out for themselves,” Ted said sweetly, massaging her back. Andromeda sighed, hoping he was right.

 

* * *

 

“Cissy-“ Andromeda stood rigidly in the frame of her opened door, staring down at her baby sister holding a beaten up shell of her eldest sister. With Narcissa’s help, she quickly scooped Bellatrix from the ground and onto a couch.

“ _What_ the hell-“ Andromeda began, going silent when she heard Bellatrix stir.

“ _What happened?”_ Andromeda hissed quietly at Narcissa, turning away from her passed out sister.

“Our-our Lord, he-he punished her,” Narcissa stuttered, still looking shell shocked.

 

Andromeda scurried to her medicine cabinet, taking out different salves and balms—some even being Ted’s parents’ muggle remedies—and brought them back. She hadn’t spoken to either sister for 2 years, much less seen them. All she had heard were the countless horrors on the news of Bellatrix’s atrocities. She felt like she didn’t even know her anymore. _I certainly don’t recognize this woman as my sister,_ Andromeda thought. Bellatrix had a bulging, bruised eye, matted hair, lip cut wide open, and that was just her face. Her skin was littered with bruises, her dress torn in places that made even Andromeda, who loathed her sister for the countless murders she was responsible for, pity her. Andromeda slowly peeled off the shredded dress, revealing even more bruises and left little to the imagination to know what had happened. She shuddered.

 

“What did she do to warrant such a… punishment?” Andromeda coughed, thinking back on how much she had looked up to her older sister. How strong Bella always seemed, like she was indestructible.

“He-he found out she slept with Rodolphus…”

“Her husband? So, she consummated her marriage, and she gets punished?”

“He-he is very possessive, of her…”

 

Andromeda shook her head, holding back tears as she continued to tend to Bella’s injuries. No matter how much she detested everything Bellatrix had become, she was still her older sister. Bella was her protector—the scary older sister who’d hunt down anyone who even looked at Andromeda the wrong way. Bella is powerful, never weak. Yet here she was, broken to pieces. “Why-why-um… why bring her here?” Andromeda said, wiping a few tears so Narcissa wouldn’t see.

“I, I…” Narcissa started, but never finished her train of thought.

But Andromeda knew; Narcissa couldn’t take her to St. Mungo’s for fear of them sending her off to Azkaban, and she couldn’t heal her under the eyes of other Death Eaters for fear of them tattling. Andromeda was her last resort.

 

Finally, Andromeda stood up, gathering her supplies. “I’m no mediwitch, so that is all I can do, Cissy.”

Narcissa nodded. Andromeda and her sister then lifted Bellatrix up again and carried her outside.

“Thank you, Meda,” Narcissa said softly before apparating away with Bellatrix. Andromeda knelt and began to cry, not knowing whether she should be upset for deciding to tend to a reckless murderer’s wounds, or upset over how deep her sister had fallen for You-Know-Who. Only when she heard the sound of her infant crying—Nymphadora most likely wanting to be fed—did she stand and wipe her tears, re-entering her house and closing the door.

 

* * *

 

“Meda, you can’t possibly be serious,” Bellatrix said gruffly.

Andromeda looked at her sister pitifully, wondering what could have turned her powerful, confident sister into such a wickedly subservient witch. “I am going to marry Ted, with or without you there,” Andromeda sternly spoke.

“You’re _lucky_ enough to have the blood of the House of Black, yet you’re about to marry a MUD-“

“I love him, Bella. You’d understand had you married for love instead of on the orders of your _master_ -“

“Don’t talk about my marriage like that.”

“Oh, your marriage? Well, that’s the first time _I’ve_ ever heard you even _mention_ that you’re married. Honestly Bella, how can you put up with such a _git_?”

“He isn-“

“Don’t you lie. You despise Rodolphus.”

“-a direct order from my-“

“Oh shut up, will you? ‘Direct Order’ my arse. You act like a slave-“

“-and the bloodline _will_ stay pure-“

“He’s a manipulative man, making his followers call him Lord Volde-“

“ _Don’t_ speak of the Dark Lord in such a-“

“YOU’RE HIS WHORE, BELLA,” Andromeda shouted in her sister’s face, breathing heavily. Regaining her breath, Andromeda added, “I’m-I’m just worried about you.”

 

Bellatrix scoffed and cackled. “You? Worried about me? You, the blood _traitor-“_

“ _Stop-_ ”

“Ruining your pure blood with filth-“

“I’m not the one being abused by my not-husband evil lord, whored out when he needs it, doing his dirty work and killing innocent-“

“ _He does NOT whore me out-“_

_“He made you sleep with Lucius for GOD’S SAKE Bella, our baby sister’s husband!”_

_“_ If the Dark Lord deemed it necessary, then I will do-“

“But why, why do you do what he says? What does he give you, Bella? Certainly not love. Barely any more affection than our father did-”

“ _Don’t speak of father._ ”

“Is it love? Are you in love with him, Bella?”

“He _trusts_ me. The most powerful man in the world _trusts me._ I am his most loyal servant.”

“A servant! Bellatrix Black—oh, I mean Lestrange, because your master required you to marry despite continuing to sleep with you—Bellatrix Lestrange, a servant!”

“A loyal _warrior_ to the _most powerful man in the world-_ “

 _“_ I just never pictured you to become such a weak, submissive woman, Bella.”

“I’m _not_ weak,” Bellatrix shrieks, forcefully pushing her sister to the floor and raising her wand.

“Kill me. Kill me Bella, I’d like to see you do it.” Andromeda taunts.

“You should be so lucky,” Bella spits, stomping away.

 

* * *

 

 

Andromeda was rudely awoken from her nap with three loud knocks on her door. She looked up at the grandfather clock across the room, seeing that it was too early for both Nymphadora and Ted to be home. Molly wouldn’t be bringing six-year-old Nymphadora back for another three hours—four, probably, knowing how much mischief Dora and Charlie got to while playing together. And Ted would still be at work for another six hours, so it couldn’t be him knocking. Andromeda lazily got up and rubbed her eyes, yawning a bit before heading to the door. She opened the door with a sleepy smile on her face and upon seeing who it was, immediately shut it.

 

“No,” she said firmly, placing a hand on the closed door and shaking her head.

“You know I wouldn’t be here unless it was gravely important,” she heard her youngest sister say behind the door.

Andromeda sighed, knowing her sister was right. In the seven years since her sisters broke contact with her, Narcissa had only come on one other occasion—when she was incredibly desperate. And Andromeda could never turn away her sister, no matter how much she wanted to. She opened the door.

“Make it quick, I don’t want you here long,” she said curtly, beginning to fume as Narcissa immediately walked in without a second thought to even clean her shoes on their welcome mat. _Sure, just come as you please, don’t mind me,_ Andromeda thought bitterly.

 

"You need to adopt this child," Narcissa said in a matter-of-fact tone, holding out a bassinet with a baby, not even a year old, sound asleep inside. Andromeda steps away from the bassinet thrust at her, and upon realizing that Narcissa is serious, began to uncontrollably laugh.

"What, motherhood is too much for you, you have to give up your own child?" Andromeda laughed manically.

Narcissa put a hand on her own stomach and let out a deep huff. "No, I'm pregnant, and intend to keep my child," she said sourly.

Andromeda's eyebrows rose, still manically laughing. "So, who's baby is this?" Andromeda asked coyly, watching as her sister's face drops. She looked down at the baby, now in the bassinet placed on the floor. The baby already had a full head of hair and deep, dark eyes. Andromeda's eyes widened.

 

"No... no-Bella wouldn't have a baby with that _git_. She despises Rodolphus only slightly less than she despises me, she couldn't have had a child-“

"She clearly did,"

"And he doesn't want it? They don't want to continue their ‘sacred’ bloodline-“

"He ordered this child dead."

"Rodolphus? Rodolphus wanted this child dea-no... why would You-Know-who want this child dead... Is this some sick way Bella can set me up? So she can come and murder my family, claiming that I stole her child?"

"What? No, no, that's not-"

"No? Then her child truly has a death sentence, yet she can't even come and beg me herself to take in her child? Has to send you-"

"She doesn't know I'm here."

"She doesn't?"

"No-"

"Then where does she think her child has gone-"

"I told her I'd take care of it."

"Take care of... murdering her newborn?"

"Yes."

"Like she'd believe that,” Andromeda resumed laughing.

"I said I'd take care of it, not that I'd be the one to do it."

"Why isn't she doing it herself, if her _lord and savior_ requested it of her-"

"She was going to. I truly think... she was going to, Meda. She just hadn't... yet." Upon hearing her childhood nickname, now rarely ever used, Andromeda took a deep breath, her laugh subsiding.

"And what does that mean?" She asked quietly now.

"That... that she wasn't eating, or sleeping, or showering, or doing anything except rock this poor baby on her chest all day, all night. She couldn't bring herself to do it... but I think she was going to, eventually. She played with this silver necklace all day... I had to step in before she strangled herself or the baby with the chain. She was spiraling, Meda," Narcissa said tearfully, pointing to the silver chain still around the baby’s neck.

"Cissy, don't be naive, she knows you aren't going to kill a child. She'll be searching for this child once the rest of her soul dies off and she can follow through with this senseless murder-"

"She won't."

"Oh, so you have proof? Proof of killing her child that'll satisfy her? Satisfy her master?" Andromeda hissed.

"I already gave her proof."

"What, you found another baby-"

"Yes."

"CISSY-"

"No, I didn't kill anyone. I went to a dirty muggle orphanage and took a babe that was already dead. About the same age. I gave her proof."

Andromeda clenched her teeth upon hearing “dirty muggle orphanage,” reminded of how _lunatic_ her family is. How Narcissa can come begging for Andromeda to keep this child safe, yet retrieve a dead muggle child like she’s picking up groceries and regard the rest of the orphanage as nothing more than a trash heap. Heartless. _How am I related to them… how am I still helping her…_

 

"And, she believes you killed this baby?" Andromeda finally said, calming her anger with another deep breath.

"No... she believes Severus did."

"Severus-"

"I convinced Severus to make an Unbreakable Vow. He showed Bella the other baby's corpse, saying it was hers and that he did it. He completed the Dark Lord’s task."

"So Severus knows you're here now?"

"No... he thinks I am dropping her off at a French orphanage."

"And... and why are you not doing that?" Andromeda angrily huffed, a throbbing headache growing just from trying to wrap her head around this intricate plan woven with her sister's ridiculous 'logic.'

"Please, Meda, I just want her to be safe. I know you'll keep her safe," Narcissa begged. Andromeda sighed. _Why, oh why can’t I say no. Is it because there is a child who’s wanted dead in front of me? Is it because it’s my baby sister asking me for help?_

 

"I suppose she has a name?" Andromeda finally surrendered.

"Nova. Nova Black."

"Nova Tonks from now on, rescued on my way back from London when a homeless mother handed me her child and ran off. Muggle, for all we know."

Andromeda could tell how desperate her sister was, noticing her not even bat an eyelash at the story she spun for Nova. Narcissa was so desperate that she'd be willing to let her pureblooded niece be called the daughter of a homeless muggle.

 

"Thank you, thank you Meda." Narcissa wrapped her sister in a tight embrace, whispering in her ear, "I know she misses you Meda, I know it." Andromeda nodded, too exhausted to argue anymore with her youngest, most naive sister.

"Now, get out before Ted or Molly come. Molly'll have Charlie and Nymphadora here any minute, and I don't need any of them seeing you around here, ever."

Narcissa nodded and quickly trotted away, apparating in a slick snap. Andromeda picked up the baby and held her in her arms.

"Nova... oh it's okay Nova, I'm your mummy now, and I promise, oh I promise you'll be so loved here…” she cooed, rocking her new daughter in her arms.


	2. Narcissa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Narcissa's POV

_“Where. Is. She,”_ Andromeda spoke through gritted teeth in her front yard.

Narcissa stood in front, hands behind her back. _I had to come… I had to come…_ she kept repeating to herself while trying not to think of how angry her sister was.

“I promise you, she’s alright. She’s alive,” Narcissa explained cautiously.

No, she did not have Nova with her, and no, she did not know when Andromeda would get Nova back. But she just _felt_ like she owed this to her sister, just to come and tell her that her daughter is safe. That she’s alive. _But if Bella tries to kill her… I don’t… I can’t promise that I’ll protect her…_ She saw Andromeda shake her head. Narcissa didn’t think quickly enough before she realized Andromeda staring directly at her and muttering _Legillimens_ to enter her mind, searching through her memories. Narcissa begun pushing her out, but to no avail—a memory materialized.

 

“Bella, what did you-“ Narcissa shrieked upon entering Bellatrix’s room at Malfoy Manor.

On Bellatrix’s bed lay an unconscious, but not dead, Nova Tonks, still the spitting image of her mother as a teenager. Bellatrix shushed Narcissa, then retrieved a silver necklace from her pocket and tied it around Nova’s neck. Narcissa paced the room anxiously.

“Why-what-why are you keeping her?“ Narcissa pleaded innocently.

Bellatrix shushed her again, then turned to her. “Shut up Cissy, stop playing dumb. We both know who she is. _You knew._ ”

Narcissa stopped pacing and went white in front of her sister.

Bellatrix cackled. “Really, Cissy, you think I wouldn’t find out? That I wouldn’t know?”

 _You didn’t, not until you found that damn necklace on her. Why couldn’t Andromeda have taken it off,_ Narcissa thought, watching the memory play out again. _And why did Nova have to look so damn much like Bellatrix._ Narcissa looked to see Andromeda observing her memory with clenched fists, prompting Narcissa to try again at Occlumency. The scene goes blurry as Narcissa pushed harder to get Andromeda out of her mind, but Andromeda kept fighting.

 

Another scene materialized. “Why am I here,” Nova seethed, sitting upright on the same bed.

Narcissa stood in the door frame, motionless. She couldn’t tell if her sister is mad, bloodthirsty, or relieved. She saw Bellatrix brush a curl out of Nova’s face, and noticed Nova not move an inch. _She can’t move,_ Narcissa realized, explaining the only plausible way Bellatrix could get so close to Nova without her fighting for her life. Nova was breathing heavily.

“What are you going to do with me,” she seethed again.

She saw Bella run the back of her hand down Nova’s cheek tenderly.

“If only he could see you, and not want to kill you,” Bella breathed softly.

“I want to go home,” Nova whispered sourly, tears running freely down her face now.

Narcissa could feel Andromeda growing even more unstable in her head from the rising anger, so she again tried to drive Andromeda out of her memories.

“My dear, you are home,” Bella laughed quietly while the memory grows blurrier and blurrier as Narcissa pushed Andromeda out.

 

Narcissa, now maintaining some hold over her own memories, continued to push Andromeda out. And she almost did, but one last scene appeared, although blurry from Narcissa’s continued efforts. _I should’ve taken Bella’s Occlumency lessons more seriously._

“CRUCIO!” Bellatrix yelled, forcing Nova to scream in agony. Narcissa was thankful that Andromeda could not fully see this.

“Bella-“

“SHUT UP CISSY. THIS UNGRATEFUL BITCH-“

Nova screamed again.

“SAY IT. SAY I AM-”

“Ne-ver,” Nova breathed out before screaming again when the curse hit.

This is the opposite of what she wanted to convey to Andromeda. _How dare she invade my memories. How dare she attack me like this. I came to her of my own accord. I came to help. I came to offer information._ Narcissa angrily used all her strength to push her sister out.

“BELLA-STOP THIS.” Memory-Narcissa was yelling right before the scene blended into a full blur and Andromeda was shoved out of her sister’s head. Narcissa slapped Andromeda, leaving a red mark on Andromeda’s cheek. And before she gave Andromeda enough time to respond in any capacity, she apparated back to Malfoy Manor with a loud crack.

 

* * *

 

 

Narcissa loved the Slytherin common room. The lake waves splashing against their windows eased Narcissa’s stresses while the dimly lit interior and exposed bricks provided a very cozy ambience. She rubbed her eyes and shut her book, looking across the table to her sister, scribbling at a scroll.

“Bella, I forgot to thank you, for earlier today.”

 

Narcissa, a first year, had been carrying her books down to the dungeons to deposit in her dormitory when four older Gryffindor boys stopped her.

“Oy, lookie here, a wee little Black girl,” one of them snickered, moving close to her. He then shoved the books out of her arms and onto the ground, pushing her down in the process. Narcissa whelped upon hitting the cold stone floor. The boys began to laugh. Under their breath, she heard them say a curse that sent her flying backwards, causing her to hit her head against the stone floor.

 

“So much incest in her family, you’d think she’d have two noses,” one laughed.

“No, she just barely has any magic,” another countered.

“Serves her right, probably thinks her pure blood makes her the shit.”

 

Still on the ground, she heard footsteps walking behind her. Rubbing her head, she looked up and saw all the four boys go white.

“Dirty little half-bloods dare mess with a pureblood?” She heard her sister say wickedly.

 

All four boys were suddenly thrust into the air and begun flailing wildly. Narcissa looked back at her sister, eyes sparkling in revenge. How Bella had already mastered nonverbal spells as a fifth year was beyond her. She then raised all Narcissa’s books with her wand and shoved one in each boy’s arms, all still in the air.

 

“Give. Her. The. Books. Back,” Bellatrix smirked, dropping them on the ground and watching them wobble towards Narcissa. Their legs shook violently as they walked.

 

“You bitch,” one of them seethed, all their legs still shaking. Bellatrix merely laughed.

“It’s not my fault you’re a worthless wizard. You shouldn’t even have magic, half-blood.” Bellatrix spit at their feet.

 

She then grabbed Narcissa’s arm and pulled her off the floor, waiting only a second for her to grab her books before pushing her down the dungeon halls to their common room. Once in the common room, Bellatrix didn’t say a word to her sister, walking past her up to her own dormitory.

 

Bellatrix looked up from her scrolls, putting down her quill. She gazed at her sister, then shrugged.

Narcissa continued, “How did you get the entire school to… fear you?”

Bellatrix laughed, “Being the best makes those inferior, fear you.”

“Being the school bully doesn’t make you the best,” Narcissa whispered to herself just loudly enough for her sister to hear.

“Oh yeah, then what does, dear sister?” Bellatrix replied sarcastically.

“Being invited to the Slug Club seems like a good start…”

“I was invited, you twat.”

“So why don’t you go?”

“I was invited because I’m a Black, because of how powerful father is. Not because I’m great. If Slughorn doesn’t see that I’m powerful on my own, then he doesn’t deserve my presence,” Bellatrix sneered haughtily.

“And if you think I’m just a bully, then you can handle those Gryffindor gits yourself next time,” she added.

“I know you’ll still protect me. You don’t scare me, Bellatrix Black,” Narcissa winked.

 

Her sister huffed and gathered her scrolls and went up to her room, merely saying “I’m sick of you,” under her breath. Narcissa smiled to herself, knowing she was right. Bellatrix may be the school bully, ruthless and violent to everyone else, but Narcissa knew better. To her, she was just Bella, affectionate in her own way, and would fight to the death to protect who she loves and what she believes in.

 

* * *

 

“W-Well, did you get what you want?” Narcissa stuttered, meeting Bellatrix in the hallway of their mansion.

Nova was still in Bellatrix’s room, hopefully now asleep but most likely unconscious from her sister’s torturing. _I need to get her back to Andromeda, before Bellatrix kills her,_ Narcissa thought. Her sister shot her a dirty look.

 

“She’s not going back to that blood traitor,” Bellatrix said simply.

“What, so you’re going to keep her in my house? Under my roof? For how long, Bella, how long are you planning on torturing-“

“Oh, she’ll be out of your house soon enough, dear sister,” Bellatrix spoke menacingly.

“What… what does that mean. What are you planning on doing to her?”

 

Bellatrix slowly approached her, leaning so close she could bite Narcissa’s ear off. “How about you tell me how you knew _that blood traitor_ raised my seemingly _dead daughter,”_ Bellatrix whispered.

Narcissa backed away from her sister, not letting her see that she was actually getting scared. “I don’t have to tell you, _anything._ ”

 

Her sister smiled ominously. She tilted her head, softly saying, “Why is it that you want her alive?”

“Stop this intimidation Bella, I’m not scared of you.”

“Oh, but you should be.”

“ _Get her out of my house._ ”

“What, you don’t like your niece paying a visit to her aunt?”

“Your blood or not, she’s Andromeda’s child-“

“You _dare_ speak that blood traitor’s _name-_ “

“-and she was raised to be the same traitor her mother is. She’s too old for you to get through to her, even as her mother.”

“Every person has their breaking point.”

“And wasn’t she yours?”

Narcissa now smiled ominously, then chuckled, remembering her sister trying for days to kill her daughter. She remembered Bellatrix clutching the baby’s silver necklace, probably hoping it would strangle her on its own. She remembered how weak and fragile her sister was without sleep or food, instead clinging onto her daughter for days on end. And as worried and terrified as she was for her sister then, she chuckled at revealing Bellatrix’s weakness. _This may be the one argument I can win,_ Narcissa thought to herself, pleased.

 

Narcissa continued, “It’s not _me_ who wants her alive, _it’s you._ You still can’t kill her, can you, Bella?”

Bellatrix’s eyes narrowed, making Narcissa reevaluate her words. _I-I can’t push Bella to killing Nova. I can’t. For Meda, I can’t. Oh, Narcissa Malfoy what did you do._

But then Bellatrix slinked down the hall to another room, shutting the door silently. _Nova is safe,_ Narcissa thought, _for now._

 

* * *

 

 

Narcissa walked into her sister’s room, seeing Bellatrix rocking her newborn on the bed lovingly. Her sister’s hair was still sweaty from labor, her lips pursed in a soft whimper. Narcissa reached inside her cloak’s pocket, pulling out two identical silver necklaces.

 

“I picked them up today, from Borgin and Burkes,” she said, handing them over to Bellatrix.

Her sister looked up at her with a tired smile, taking one necklace and rubbing it between her fingers. She then placed the baby into the bassinet and took her wand from inside her sleeve. Touching the wand gently to each necklace, the silver chains glowed and rose in the air. Bellatrix seemed to be murmuring something Narcissa couldn’t hear.

 

“What are you-“ Narcissa began before Bellatrix shot her a nasty look that shut her up.

Once Bella finished, she released the necklaces from her wand’s spell and begun unfastening one to place around Nova. Narcissa looked at the necklaces, now fastened around Bella and her child’s neck individually. Bellatrix stroked her newborn’s head.

 

“You really love her, don’t you?”

“Wow Cissy, I didn’t think you thought of me as so heartless to not love my own child,” Bellatrix laughed sarcastically.

“Does-does he know?”

“Who?”

“Rodolphus—he has a daughter, after all,”

“…no, he does not.”

“Why-what does that-“

“It’s none of your business Cissy. She’s mine, and she’s perfect.”

 

Narcissa squeezed her eyes shut, knowing she couldn’t argue with her sister. _She’s happy. She’s so happy._ “But-Bella, you have to tell him. Or else, he’ll find out, and much worse will-“

“-he will know, in time-“

“-I just don’t want him to punish you-“

“Narcissa. This does not concern you,” Bellatrix said harshly. She then sighed, “Whatever happens, it’s best that you know as little as possible, Cissy. For your own protection.”

Narcissa nodded, biting her tongue. _But… but it’s time I protect you… but how can I?_ Narcissa would always be the baby sister, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

Narcissa cringed at each scream she heard coming from the upper floors of her mansion. Lucius was pacing madly, alternating between throwing putrid glances at his wife and angrily groaning. When the screaming seemed to subside, Narcissa straightened her stance and stood up, watching her sister walk down the stairs, tapping her wand against the palm of her hand. Narcissa rushed to her sister.

“ _Are you insane-“_ Narcissa hissed.

Bellatrix cut her off, “You _knew.”_

~~

Narcissa ran over the events that transpired prior. She remembered being appalled when her sister and husband returned with distraught faces. Her husband clearly had failed his mission, and Bella was grasping by the hair a teenage girl that Narcissa _knew_ had to be Nova. Narcissa couldn’t stop staring at Nova, truly looking exactly like Bellatrix at her age.

“Did _you_ know our _sister_ had _another blood-traitor-child_ ,” Bellatrix seethed, whipping the girl in front of her while she screamed silently, most likely due to a silencing charm.

 _Does she know?_ Narcissa thought. _Does she see the resemblance?_ Narcissa knew her sister was not stupid, but prayed that Andromeda looked enough like Bellatrix to bear offspring looking spookily similar to her at a younger age. Narcissa hoped her sister did not truly understand who this was.

“I-I did not… I have not spoken to her since-“

“-and her _child_ had the _audacity_ to try and _fight me?_ ”

“-clearly stupid-“

“-trying to ‘rescue’ her dirty metamorph of a sister-“

“-still insane of Andromeda to bear children at all-“

“-not only _ruining_ our mission’s objective, but wouldn’t even let me _kill_ her _fucking sister_.”

Narcissa looked blankly at her sister, then shyly asked, “But… but you didn’t kill her either…,” motioning towards a writhing Nova, constricted in Bellatrix’s grasp.

Bella grinned wildly, then dragged the girl upstairs. Narcissa was too scared to find out what her sister intended to do, instead opting to sit in silent shock while her husband paced, thinking of how to make the Dark Lord forgive him.

~~

Narcissa refocused on her sister. “What-what did I know?” Narcissa asked, stepping back from her sister, feigning innocence.

“Don’t play dumb with me Narcissa,” Bellatrix murmured, pulling out a silver necklace from her dress pocket. _Shit._ Narcissa nodded slowly.

“Y-yes, I knew.”

 

* * *

 

 

Bellatrix sat on Narcissa’s bed, Nova sitting on her lap. She held the silver chain on baby Nova’s neck tightly, staring at Nova’s eyes. Narcissa had seen her like this since the morning, and her sister had still not moved an inch. “Bella, you must eat.”

No response.

“Okay, what if you let me take Nova, so you can sleep.”

Still no response.

“I’ll put her in the bassinet right next to you… she won’t leave your side.”

Nothing.

“Just shower, for five minutes, you look hideous.”

Still no movement.

“You-you’re a pretty weak witch if you can’t even leave your child for five minutes.”

Bellatrix continued to stare at her child, holding the silver chain tightly but unmoving. _I was sure that would raise a stir in her. Force her to do something,_ Narcissa thought before leaving the room.

 

Narcissa left to the nursery, now set up for her own incoming child, Draco. She kneeled on the ground, clutching the crib’s cage bars, holding back tears. She couldn’t take seeing Bellatrix like this for one more day. She just wished she knew what went through her sister’s head; she was unsure if Bella was going to kill herself, or kill her daughter. Narcissa grasped the bars tightly, thinking back to her previous conversations with Bella, when she was more… alert.

 

“This is insane, you don’t have to-“

“If the Dark Lord wishes it, I will deliver. It is an honor to serve him, Cissy.”

“Your own daughter, Bella, your flesh and blood-“

“He trusts me as I trust him, so I will follow through with his orders-“

“Bella, he’s doing this to get under your skin-“

“-and this is for the good of the cause. I do not question his demands-“

“He’s controlling you, Bella! God, how can you be so obtuse? He sleeps with you constantly but insists on marrying you off to an _insipid_ man, then punishes you once you begin to feel for your _husband._ He has you carry his child, lets you keep her for a year _but then asks you to kill her?_ Oh, Bella, he’s testing how far you’ll go for him!”

“I’ll go as far as he asks, Cissy.”

 

Narcissa squeezed her eyes shut, wiped her nose and let a few tears fall to her knees. _I have to do this. I have to. For Bella._ Narcissa then took out her wand from her sleeve and walked back to her own room to face her sister, still having not moved an inch.

“Petrificus Totalus,” Narcissa said quietly, pointing her wand at Bellatrix.

Bella quickly looked up but was too late, her arms snapping to her sides as she fell to a completely laying-down position on the bed. Her eyes stared blankly at the wall.

“I’m-I’m sorry Bella,” Narcissa said, wiping some more tears from her eyes and picking up Nova from Bella’s petrified lap.

She placed Nova in the bassinet and walked out, sniffling. She quickly made it to outside Malfoy Manor without being seen, quickly apparating away.

 

Now in Spinner’s End, she knocked on the door in front of her. Severus Snape opens the door, at first startled to see a pregnant Narcissa holding a bassinet, but allows her to walk into his home.

“Narcissa, what are you-“

“You’re going to tell Bella that you killed her child,” Narcissa said suddenly.

 

Snape gaped, laughed, but then stared back at Narcissa.

“I’m not killing a child _I_ was not ordered _to kill,_ ” he said simply.

“You-you won’t have to kill it, just say you did.”

Snape stared at her blankly, inviting more explanation.

 

“I, I can find another dead baby-already dead-that you can take as proof. I just need to say that you did it,” she explained.

“And why can you not say it-“

“Bella won’t believe I did it.”

Snape clasped his hands and sighed, “What are you to do with the real child, then?” pointing to the bassinet.

“France. Orphanage. Far away.”

 

Snape took a deep breath and thought to himself, turning away to stare at the wall. Narcissa stared at him in silence, praying that he would understand. After a seemingly endless amount of time, he slowly turned back to face Narcissa.

“Alright.”


	3. Bellatrix

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellatrix POV

Bellatrix shut her door, finally alone, and begun to sob. Nova was moved down the hall to the guest room, already having passed out shortly after Bellatrix left her due to the torture she was subjected to. Bellatrix knelt down and held her head in her arms, letting her tears fall freely in her lap. Overwhelmed was an understatement; Bella did not know what to feel. And she did not know what to do. She wanted to thank Andromeda for taking in her daughter, but also hurt her for robbing her of that privilege. She wanted to tell her daughter that she was her mother, but also wanted to keep it a secret for her daughter’s own protection. She wanted to tell the Dark Lord that his child was alive—that she was strong and powerful and beautiful—but didn’t dare, knowing he’d order Bella to kill her immediately after punishing her for lying about killing her sixteen years ago.

 

_“Everyone has a breaking point.”_

_“Isn’t she yours?”_

Bellatrix played those words over and over in her head. She didn’t want to admit that it was still true, that now that she knew who Nova was, she couldn’t bring herself to kill her. _Why did I have to see that damn necklace,_ Bella thought sullenly. Bellatrix never thought she’d have a weakness, always working on her weakest skills to be most well-rounded. She certainly didn’t expect her weakness to be a _child_.

 

Bellatrix jumped at the sound of the door being opened and saw Nova unconsciously float in the air, house elves surrounding her with their arms raised. One house elf shrieked upon seeing Bellatrix on the floor, then begun babbling apologies.

“We are so-so sorry, Master Bella, Master Draco is on his way home and Master Lucius said he is not to see… uh…-“

Bellatrix shushed and glared at them until they scurried away. She then continued to sob, not noticing her daughter stir on the bed in front of her. When she finally looked up, Nova was staring at her intently.

 

“You’re my birth mother, aren’t you,” Nova whispered.

“How’d you come up with that?”

Nova wiped her tired eyes and sighed, “I suspected… something. A random muggle hands me over on the street and I happen to turn out to be a witch? Something was off about that story, though my mum wouldn’t tell me…”

 _Meda was always a good secret keeper,_ Bella thought nostalgically.

“-and you’re… crying… which I didn’t think you’d be capable of,” Nova said quietly, looking down at her lap.

“But I didn’t expect my mother to be one of the cruelest murderers out there,” Nova glared, seemingly shake off whatever she was previously feeling.

“And I didn’t expect my child to be a blood traitor Muggle-lover,” Bellatrix spit.

Nova’s eyes narrowed, but then she resumed looking down at her lap.

“I-I did… I did want… I just thought one day I’d meet my real mother… she wouldn’t be sobbing… no, I thought… I thought that she’d be proud of me, somehow.”

Bellatrix saw Nova shutting her eyes tight, clearly trying to stop herself from crying. _How alike we are…_ Bella thought. There was nothing better than external approval. Nothing was better than _her Lord_ saying he was _proud_ of her work. She did _everything_ just to hear those words. _Well, almost everything…_ she thought, looking up at her not-dead daughter.

“You… you are a remarkable witch for your age,” Bellatrix murmured, barely audible enough for Nova to hear. Her head immediately snapped up.

“You are everything I despise—Andromeda’s love of muggles and her tolerance of mudbloods, fucking Potter’s morality and self-importance, Nymphadora’s-“ Bellatrix continued on.

But then she stopped. “But… you are strong. And you hold your own in a fight.” Bellatrix took a deep breath.

“And for that, I _am_ proud.”

 

* * *

 

 

Bellatrix finished tying the last lock of her unruly hair up into a neat updo, powdering her nose for the final touch. Andromeda laid on her bed, painting her nails.

“Why don’t you just enchant the polish Meda,” Bellatrix asked, looking straight ahead at her sister’s reflection in the mirror.

“I appreciate it so much more when I do it without magic,” Andromeda replied coolly.

Narcissa walks in and sits on Bellatrix’s bed next to Andromeda.

“Watch out Cissy, you’ll mess it-“ Andromeda began before Narcissa cut her off.

“You look nice, Bella, where are you going?” Narcissa asked innocently.

“Um, to see a friend,” Bellatrix answered hesitantly.

“A _boy-_ friend?”

“N-not quite. He’s a little old to be my boyfriend,”

“A little?” Andromeda chimes in.

Bellatrix rolled her eyes while putting in her earrings.

“What’s his name?” Narcissa asked.

“Lord Voldemort.”

“Lord Who-“

“Anyone who refers to themselves as a Lord Anything should _not_ be trusted-“ Andromeda said again without looking up from her nails.

“Shut it Meda, you’re just jealous I’m the one going on a date tonight-“

“Oh, this is considered a date?”

“None of your business-“

“But if it is a date, definitely go with the silver earrings. Make your eyes look less bug-like.”

Bellatrix scoffed but proceeded to put on the earrings Andromeda suggested. She saw Narcissa squirming on the bed, picking at her fingers nervously.

“Cissy, what’s wrong?” Bellatrix asked, seeing her sister’s cheeks flush red in the mirror’s reflection.

“N-nothing, why, what-“

“Cissy-“

“Ok, alright, I just… remember Lucius?”

“Is our Cissy _seeing_ someone?” Andromeda giggled. Narcissa elbowed her gently.

“I-I like him. He’s a Malfoy, so he’s from a good and wealthy family. And he treats me well…”

“Wrap it up, Cissy,” Bella yawned.

“Can I wear your gold earrings, the ones you were going to wear but put down,” Narcissa said quickly.

Bella laughed and tossed the earring box behind her. Narcissa caught it and smiled, then continued to her room to finish getting ready.

Bellatrix, feeling ready, turned to face Andromeda who was twisting the cap back on her nail polish.

“Who’s going to tell her that he’s seeing maybe… five other girls?” Andromeda whispered.

“I heard it was six, and I caught him sneaking a peek at me the other day as well,” Bellatrix gagged.

“Disgusting. Can you imagine that twat as a brother-in-law?”

“God no, never. We have to tell her, but she won’t believe just me, we both have to.”

“Why both-“

“She trusts both of us, and if we both tell her he’s bad, then she’ll listen.”

“But we both told you this Lord Whatever is bad-“

“ _I_ don’t listen to either of you,” Bellatrix smirked.

“But Bella, Cissy’s just so happy now-“

“I didn’t say we had to do it now. She’s got time before the twat even thinks of proposing… just promise me we’ll do it together,” Bella finished.

Andromeda nodded, “Yes Bella, we will tell Cissy together.”

 

* * *

 

 

Bellatrix hoisted the thrashing girl onto her bed at Malfoy Manor, fastening her with binding charms to get her to stay put. Bellatrix tapped her wand against her palm menacingly, beginning to laugh.

“Well, isn’t this lovely. I always wanted to meet another niece of mine,” Bellatrix snickered.

She undid the Silencing charm she had placed on the girl, watching as her deep brown eyes follow her as she paced the room.

 

“And what did my blood traitor of a sister name you, dear niece?”

The girl huffed and scowled, not saying a word.

“Not talkative, are we?” Bellatrix laughed. “That’s can be easily changed.”

The girl continued to glare, refusing to surrender.

“CRUCIO!”

The girl flailed, screaming wildly. Bella lowered her wand and let the girl catch her breath.

“Care to talk now?”

The girl just glared harder, still saying nothing.

“Good, because that was just a taste-CRUCIO!”

 

The girl again struggled and writhed in pain. Bellatrix held the curse, letting the girl shriek until she thought for sure her voice would give out. Again, the girl glared at her silently, breathing heavily but saying nothing. Bellatrix, now getting slightly bored, instead put her wand back in her sleeve pocket and walked slowly towards the girl. She pulled out a sharp dagger from her dress pocket, watching the light reflect off it’s shining blade. She poked the blade in the girl’s arm, drawing some blood while the girl screamed again in agony.

 

“Dirty… dirty blood… your mother ruined for you…” Bella said, smiling as the blood coats her knife.

She then moved the knife towards the girl’s neck, listening as the girl transitioned from whimpering to sobbing.

 

“What a pretty necklace you have there…” Bellatrix glowered, snapping the necklace off with a flick of her knife.

As Bellatrix caught the necklace, her eyes widened while as she unconsciously lifted her other hand to feel an identical necklace fastened around her own neck. She turned her back to the girl, looking at the broken necklace now in the palm of her hand. She moved away from the girl, not wanting her to hear Bellatrix hyperventilating. _How… how does she have this?_ Bellatrix turns to look back at the girl. Bella’s eyes turn glassy. _She’s… she’s alive._ There was still blood trailing down her arm. Bellatrix raised her wand again when the girl spoke.

“N-n-nova,” the girl said between sobs.

“My name is Nova.”

 

* * *

 

 

Bellatrix woke up feeling her sister placing an ice bag on her head.

“Cissy, what are you-“

“What did he do this time, Bella?” Narcissa asked desperately.

 

She waved her sister off, not wanting to talk about what had happened. A side of her wanted to scream, wondering how she grew to be so subservient to another man. _I’m his favorite,_ she would remind herself, knowing that she _is_ his favorite and most trusted _because_ of her extensive abilities. _I’m an accomplished witch who is not subservient, just loyal,_ Bellatrix reminded herself.

 

But that was exactly how she fell into his trap. He intrigued her, taught her, praised her. He would build her up until she believed she was invincible, only for him to bring her all the way down again. _It’s like a chase… running towards his approval…_ Never once had she swayed from her loyalty to him, yet she was punished just as often as the other Death Eaters. She remembered how she used to enjoy his forceful nature while he fucked her because she felt special. She felt like this was one of his ways of approving of her, of rewarding her. And even when she begun to feel less pleasure, instead growing accustomed to bruised and bloodied inner thighs accompanying the hickeys that trailed down her neck, she always left pleased with herself. That even through all the pain, he was giving her something. She was desperate… for any recognition at all.

 

And she endured the verbal abuse her husband gave her, for never putting out, for never taking care of him, for never feeling any love towards him. Even when she did try to be a good wife and give herself to him, she was punished. Her own husband told her master of his conquest, and her Lord ruthlessly beat her for it.

“You’re mine, Bella,” he seethed while she struggled to remain conscious, her injuries consuming her.

No matter that she married to please him. No matter that she was Bellatrix Lestrange because the Dark Lord wanted her to continue her bloodline. No matter that he had sent her to countless other Death Eaters like a prostitute, just to get them to work for him.

“You belong… to me,” he’d yell.

 

Not like her bruises would let her forget. But even despite the pain he put her through, she stayed loyal. She felt powerful even during her punishments, feeling honored that he took time to make her stronger and tougher. He’d hold her in his arms afterwards always, stroking her bruises and cuts with such gentleness she could pretend they were in love. _He loves me… he is proud of me…_ She would close her eyes and pretend that they were the most powerful couple in the world. That they’d be inseparable, and that he’d tell her at nights how he couldn’t have won the war without her, and how much she meant to him. But then her pain would bring her out of her reverie, and by that time, he would be gone.

 

* * *

 

 

“CRUCIO!” Bellatrix yelled, laughing manically while watching her niece dodge spells like an amateur.

“Oh, come along now, little Dora, your aunt hasn’t seen you for a long time,” Bellatrix sarcastically cackled.

She sees her niece squint her eyes and continue to try throwing jinxes at her, which Bellatrix easily shrugged away. “CRUCIO!” She yelled again, aiming for Nymphadora.

 

“STUPEFY!” She heard another witch cast in her direction.

Bellatrix felt the world slow down, watching as the girl ran towards her. She looked _exactly_ as Bellatrix once did when she was about fifteen or sixteen. Pretty, with long black curls, and a cold, hard expression that furrowed her brows. For a second, Bellatrix thinks of her dead baby. _Perhaps this is what she would’ve looked like, had she lived long enough,_ Bellatrix thought. Although she’d never admit it, she continued to constantly think of the life her daughter would’ve lived and the kind of witch she would’ve become. Thinking of an alternate timeline in which her daughter would still be alive was one of only things that made Bellatrix feel better in Azkaban. But Bellatrix shook her head, forcing herself to stop thinking of her daughter. _Love makes you weak,_ she reminded herself, the same way her master always told her.

 

Bellatrix watched as Nymphadora yelled out to the girl, shielding her from Bellatrix’s curse. Using that distraction, Bellatrix easily stunned Nymphadora, tired of fighting her and instead wanting to get a closer look at the other girl. _She must be another niece of mine. Another one of Meda’s._ Bellatrix thought, but the girl keeps holding her own in their duel, making Bellatrix frustrated. Finally Bellatrix got close enough to stun her and watched as her teenage-self-lookalike fell limp on the ground. Bellatrix then forced herself to not look, and instead to focus on the task at hand. _Where is that Potter boy,_ she thought, leaving the scene.

 

And the mission continued without success. _At least I managed to kill Sirius,_ Bellatrix thought menacingly. _Another blood traitor I could dispose of._ She knew her lord would not be happy though, as they were unable to complete their mission.

“Let’s go,” she heard Lucius say gruffly.

And as Bellatrix was about to apparate away with her brother-in-law, she looked at her feet and saw the girl—her youngest niece, beginning to stir. She picked the girl up by the collar, still not knowing her name. _I can have some fun with you,_ Bellatrix grinned evilly. The girl begun waking up when Bellatrix hit her with another curse and a Silencing Spell, watching her writhe in pain and scream silently while together they apparated away.

 

* * *

 

 

Bellatrix looked at her daughter’s bulging cheeks and tiny little face in awe. Her skin was softer and smoother than the finest silk, her little lips a perfect shade of pink. Her eyes darted everywhere, but Bellatrix especially liked it when they landed on her and she just stared _deeply_ into her mother’s eyes. Bellatrix loved Nova’s intensity. She ran the back of her hand down her daughter’s cheek gently.

“I love you,” Bellatrix whispered.

She was overwhelmed with and slightly scared of how much she loved the little bundle of flesh and bones resting on her. _I made this. I made perfection. With the blood of Salazar Slytherin himself and a thousand generations of the House of Black, she couldn’t be purer._ In Nova’s big baby eyes, she saw Meda’s conviction and drive. She saw Cissy’s innocence and loyalty. She saw her own passion and power. Everything Bella had ever loved, she saw in her daughter. So, she decided to set some wishes for who she hoped her daughter would turn out to be.

 

Bella thought of Meda. She thought of the sleepovers and fights they shared, of how Meda’s eyes glinted when she argued for something she believed in. She remembered how strong her sister was when dealing with her parents, never showing any weakness or hurt from the lack of attention they gave. Even after she was cast from the family, even burned off the family tree, Bellatrix missed her. Though never admitting to a soul and hiding it away from herself, she missed her little sister far more than she thought possible. Sometimes, she thought that she hated Nymphadora and that mudblood so much not because of their filthy blood… but because they took her beloved sister away from her. Bella sighed. _I wish you to be like Meda,_ Bella thought, as she ran the tips of her fingers through the whisps of Nova’s fine hair. _I wish you to have her strength of character, her convictions, her morality. I want you to be as grounded and as caring as she was. I want you to love hard and… stay true to yourself even when those around you disagree._

 

Bella then thought of her youngest sister. Cissy was always a baby, but as the baby of the family, she felt it was her duty to keep everyone banded together. It was Narcissa who insisted on sister study dates at Hogwarts. It was Narcissa who fought the hardest to keep Meda from marrying that mudblood. And it was Narcissa who took Bella to Meda when she knew of no other way to clean her wounds. And that was a secret she had never shared with a soul. _I hope you are like Cissy,_ she told Nova. _Even when we cast out a sister, she knows when to bring us back together. I want you to have her love of family—a love so strong it transcends everything else._ Bella smiled. _You’re the first person I’m telling this to, Nova,_ she whispered as she kissed Nova’s forehead. _I know your aunt took me to see Meda. I know she took me to Meda’s home after we hadn’t spoken in years. I… I wasn’t…_ Bella bit her lip. _I wasn’t awake. But Cissy took me to Meda, who helped me when I was hurt. And seeing Meda one last time… I needed that._

 

Bella finally thought of herself and what she hoped her daughter would inherit from her. _Everything,_ Bella laughed and then sighed. _You, you will have my passion. You will have my power. You will be powerful beyond your years._ Bella beamed at her next thought. _But I’ll tell you that you are. I’ll train you, teach you, show you off to the world. The world will know who you are. They’ll know you’re_ my _daughter, Nova Black._

**Author's Note:**

> So basically came up with this when I was trying to experiment with how Bellatrix, Andromeda, and Narcissa could remain (sort-of) in each other's lives but still be true to what happened in canon (up until like, Book 5), leaving the possibility of an alternate ending for the Black sisters. I created Nova Black but tried not to develop her too much because the story is truly about the sisters, not about Bellatrix's daughter. I just needed something that would tie them together after Andromeda leaving for Ted.


End file.
